Friday, October 18, 2013

WE’RE AT THE GATE & WE’RE READY TO RUMBLE:))

FINALLY, AFTER 6 LONG MONTHS WE ARE ON THE EVE OF DEPARTURE:))

PHEEBS WAS A BIG HELP LOADING THE RIG TODAY

First thing I did this morning when I got up was to check the weather map. Relieved to see our rains had moved on & we were in for a dry day but not happy to see rain & snow along the western edge of our route. Cold fronts moving in as well. Of course by the time we get out in that neck of the woods next week it's impossible to know what the weather will be doing. As I said before, we'll just monitor the weather day by day as we motor along. Right now it's looking like we may take the Chicago west trail. Update: Just checked the weather map again tonight & it looks like we’ll be into some rain whichever route we choose. And we just heard reports of snow in the Texas panhandle………..Awww nuts!! It's funny how it happens but it does. Each time we head south I think to myself while sitting in my big cushy recliner the night before, why would anyone leave all this great comfort & security to once again venture out across the land with all it's variables & unknowns. Why indeed. Here I sit with our big screen TV, nice sounding stereo system, warm cozy air wafting through the house, lots of room to get up & walk around, hot shower with endless water every morning. No traffic to worry about, or flat tires, or engine problems to concern us. Everything is routine & easy going. No surprises. Why indeed would we voluntarily trade all that in for the great unknown which lies ahead. Well, my only answer to all those questions is to read them all over again & simply say, it is because of all those things, that's why. And 6 months from now when we once again look forward to returning home to Bayfield it is those exact same reasons again why we can't wait to get here. Oh the wondrous life of a Snow Bird:))

WE ARE TRAVELING LIGHT THIS YEAR WITH NONE OF OUR BINS FILLEDAmazes me how the kitchen of our house always looks like a cyclone hit it just 24 hours before we pull out. It is the final staging area for all the last minute stuff it seems. And yet by the time we are ready to go in the morning everything is looking totally spiffy, clean, uncluttered, & organized. That Kelly does an amazing job. But I help too:))

SAID A FINAL FAREWELL TO OUR LITTLE MUSHROOM FOREST THIS AFTERNOON

NOTICE HOW THESE 2 MUSHROOM ARE PUSHING UP & OUT OF AN OLD STUMP EVEN LIFTING THE WOOD

Despite predictions of rain & cloud today we sailed right through another great looking sunny day. And that is a huge bonus for any Snow Bird making final preparations to head out the following morning. Too many times I have been hooking up our tow vehicle in the rain on the eve of departure. Long range weather looks really gloomy for this area next week.

A FEW PARTING PHOTOS OF OUR HIDDEN AWAY HOUSE & YARD THIS AFTERNOON

Unlike many of we Snow Birds heading west, Chuck, Geri, Doogie Bowser, & Radar from HAPPY TRAILS are leaving Truth or Consequences New Mexico heading east to Florida where they will take up permanent residence. We met the Happy Trails gang near Ajo Arizona a couple winters ago. Nice folks. All the best in your travels guys:)) And IVAN his very self along with traveling companion Hailey who incidentally is very comfortable riding on Ivan’s lap, are well on their way from Alberta Canada to destinations unknown somewhere in the great American South West. Ivan is a Master at always finding himself free boondocking sites wherever he goes. Ride along with Ivan & Hailey again this winter as they take you to spots most other folks don’t ever get to see.

AFTER HITCHING UP THE JEEP ABOUT 4 THIS AFTERNOON I TOOK A QUICK SPIN AROUND THE BLOCK TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS HOOKED UP CORRECTLY…IT WAS:))

Two new Google Friend Connect people made it aboard just in time for our departure. We welcome jhm 52000 as well as Linda & Jim from ON THE ROAD AGAIN. Nice to have you along folks & thanks for stopping by. Might want to set your alarm clocks cause we’re early birds & we’ll be hitching up the horses first thing in the morning:))

THIS IS THE ROAD WE TRAVEL BACK & FORTH TO GODERICH ONTARIO…PORTAL HILL LINE

And every year at this time I like to remember an event that occurred in my life back in 1979. And I like to remember the people who helped me through a very difficult period of my life. I first posted this a few years ago……………………. MY FIRST AA MEETING

KELLY HOOKS UP A SKYPE CONNECTION WITH HER DAUGHTER REBECCA & GRANDDAUGHTER ELLA THIS MORNING

Well that’s about it for my last post from Bayfield Ontario Canada this year. Saturday night at this time we should be somewhere south & well west of here. Kelly will get our Verizon internet up & running after we cross the border & considering all things are sometimes considered equal, I should be back right here tomorrow night. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, comments, emails, shouts, & Facebook ‘likes':))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Did you know hitting the gym to release stress is not nearly as effective as hitting the people that cause the stress to begin with.

------------------------------------------------------------- - Tourists see the world, travelers experience it. - Home is where your pet is:)) - "If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans." (James Herriot) - The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward - The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL. - It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

Ahhh, sweet - that you are soon taking off on your south western journey - many prayers and blessings to safe travels ahead to your destination in Congress! We always enjoy reading about your time spent in Arizona. Take care!Connie & Barry in PA

Snow already gone in the panhandle of Texas. Only a skiff of the white fluffy stuff fell. In the 50's at this time and not noon yet. Snow around here does not stay long unless it is a wicked system. For an interesting weather map try www.wunderground.com Once you enter your zipcode you can go to layers, located at the top right hand of your screen. Click on Weather Stations and it will give you the temp, the direction the wind is blowing and how hard. Valuable tool for the RV traveler. Click on Legends and it will show how to read all the data. I seldom use weather.com now that I have found the Weather Underground site. Take care and safe travels.

AL'S CAMERA EQUIPMENT

A sometimes asked question readers have about my blog is what kind of a camera do I use. Well I have 8 of them and use them all. Five Nikon DSLR's, two quality Sony point and shoots plus one older Canon point and shoot.

'UPDATE':: July 2017 Thanks to a very generous blog reader I have been able to update my Nikon camera equipment and supplement my camera gear with a couple additional fine Sony cameras as well.I now have a 'donated' Nikon D7200 sporting my new Nikkor 18-300 3.5 zoom lens. Also have picked up a new Nikkor 1.8 primary 35mm lens. In addition I also now have a Sony RX100-3 camera as well as a Sony Exmore Cybershot. I have given my Canon Powershot point and shoot camera to a neighbor.

- In early 2017 I replaced my Nikon D-90 camera with a new D-3400 after the 'auto focus' feature on my aging D-90 quit working. The Nikon D-90 had been my work horse camera sporting a Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens. I used this camera for most of my landscapes and I now have it set up for night photography where 'auto focus' is not necessary.

-My older faithful and favorite Nikon D-40 finally packed it in during the summer of 2015 and I replaced it with a new Nikon D-3100.

- Previous to my Nikon D-90, most of my photos were taken with my old faithful Nikon D-50 from 2006 to early 2011 whereupon the D-50 suffered a rather gruesome death when it fell off a table onto a cement porch in southeastern Arizona. The 70-300mm lens on the camera survived the fall but the D-50 did not. My Nikkor lenses are interchangable between the D-90 the D-3100 and the D-3400.